News

The Governance Committee has worked to restructure the bylaws and policies of the organization. Our goal is to give a voice to our membership through voting rights and more defined ways of governing. We recognize the important role RYP plays in the Rutland region, and we want to make sure the organization stays strong and continues to grow stronger.

It is our hope that the changes the Governance Committee is working towards will create deeply defined ways for members to get involved in the organization's operations, whether as a dues-paying member or volunteer. If you’re interested in volunteering with RYP, we encourage you to get involved with one of our committees in 2017. Reach out to us at info@rutlandyoungprofessionals.org to see how you might best get involved.

The committee also recommended adding two additional seats to the board of directors, for a total of eleven seats, a recommendation that was adopted last June.

The Events Committee stepped up their game in 2016, continuing to plan and deliver quality monthly Mixes. At these events both our members and the public had opportunities to network and have fun. Held in a variety of venues (such as Vermont Marble Museum, Mountain Meadows Lodge, Hop'n Moose, The Palms at Prospect Bay), with a variety of themes (including entrepreneurship, fitness, local brewing, and even swing dancing lessons), the committee succeeded in keeping things fresh and interesting each month.

Our annual Giving Back Mix in December (held this year at Mount St. Joseph Academy), gave RYP members and attendees a chance to give back to our community. We also saw many new faces this year and our September Mix broke the record with more than 130 attendees turning out at Southside Steakhouse for a fashion show showcasing the latest clothing from Fruition Fineries and Raw Honey Apparel!

Thank you to our Mix sponsors and attendees who made 2016 such a successful year for RYP. For details on upcoming mixes be sure to check out our website or follow us on Facebook. We hope to see you at a Mix in 2017!

The Employer Relations Committee tackled a variety of initiatives in 2016. Starting in January, the committee kicked off a series of professional development opportunities that ran monthly through June. These workshops were well attended and covered topics such as public speaking, presenting yourself on LinkedIn, and leadership fundamentals.

The committee has worked hard (attending multiple career fairs) and played hard (organizing meetups, like a bowling night or scavenger hunt) to make sure RYP is connected to our community in a variety of ways.

The Let's Dish program took off in 2016 -- this is a program where RYP volunteers meet with young professionals who are considering relocating to the area. As Let's Dish volunteers, we act as ambassadors to the area, put a friendly face on the region and help to make the decision for other young professionals to locate here a little easier. We try to highlight our regional assets and answer questions one might have when making the decision to move. Area employers have found the Let's Dish program incredibly valuable and have reached out to us to use the program to welcome several potential new hires from outside the region.

And one of the biggest initiatives of 2016: the committee launched a successful sponsorship drive resulting in a dozen sponsors who, through their funding, have allowed RYP to do so much more in 2017 – a BIG THANKS to our sponsors this year!

RYP is excited to continue its work on behalf of our members and the Rutland region in 2017!